Pony-tail holder

ABSTRACT

The disclosed pony-tail holder includes a common form of ponytail ring that encircles and squeezes the wearer&#39;&#39;s pony-tail, and a decorative clamp that includes a resilient body, roughly cylindrical and extending approximately three-fourths of the way around the pony-tail. The decorative clamp has teeth projecting inward above and below the pony-tail ring and penetrating into the hair, to keep the clamp from shifting out of position. A decorative figure optionally is carried by the body of the decorative clamp.

United States Patent [191 [11] 3,842,849 Goodman 1 1 Oct. 22, 1974 PONY-TAIL HOLDER 2,998,015 8/196l Gresham et. al |32/4s R Inventor: Jacob Goodman, New York N Y 3,594,682 7/1971 Oleson 24/8! C [73] Assignee: g.JG0odman & Sons, Inc., Kearny, Primary Examiner Amonio R Guida Assistant Examiner-J. N. Eskovitz [22] Filed: Apr. 25, 1973 C Refined 2 27 1971 The disclosed pony-tail holder includes a common g 0 form of pony-tail rmg that encircles and squeezes the d an one wearers pony-tail, and a decorative clamp that includes a resilient body, roughly cylindrical and extend- 132/46 1 ing approximately three-fourths of the way around the [58] Field 47 48 pony-tail. The decorative clamp has teeth projecting 24/259 R 256 inward above and below the pony-tail ring and pene- 81 trating into the hair, to keep the clamp from shifting r 8 out of position. A decorative figure optionally is car- 56] References Cited ried by the body of the decorative clamp.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 595.926 l2/l897 Skiller ..l32/48R 18 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PONY-TAIL HOLDER This is a continuation, of application Serial No. 212,595, filed Dec. 27, I97I and now abandoned.

This invention relates to an ornamental pony-tail holder.

A widely used female hair style involves the use of an elastic ring to form a pony-tail". It has been common for such pony-tail rings to bear ornaments. An object of the present invention resides in the provision of a novel ornamental pony-tail holder.

An illustrative novel poy-tail holder is described below in detail, for achieving the objects of the invention. That pony-tail holder involves a two-part assembly including an elastic ring that is first applied to the hair, thereby forming a pony-tail, and a decorative clamp having a lateral opening allowing the clamp to be snapped into position around the pony-tail, concealing the pony-tail ring. The lateral opening of the clamp is hidden under the pony-tail. The decorative clamp has inward projections aimed toward the lateral opening. The projections are in the form of spaced-apart teeth which cooperate with the pony-tail ring to prevent the clamp from sliding along the pony-tail, and the projections prevent the clamp from shifting around the ponytail. The ends of the clamp that bound the lateral opening are rounded, providing divergent surfaces to guide the clamp over the pony-tail and to help in spreading the resilient clamp as it is forced over the pony-tail. As the clamp shifts into position, the teeth flank the ponytail ring and penetrate into the hair. The clamp is made of sheet-metal or plastic, for example. When the clamp is of sheet-metal, the rounded ends that bound the lateral opening are formed as outward curled portions of the sheet-metal body of the clamp.

The nature of the invention and its further objects, novel features and advantages will be more fully understood and appreciated from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment, which is shown in the accompanying drawing.

in the drawing:

FIG. I is a plan view of an illustrative pony-tail clamp representing certain features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the pony-tail clamp of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a pony-tailring' for use with the pony-tail clamp of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the clamp of FIGS. 1 and 2 and the pony-tail ring of FIG. 3 assembled to constitute a decorative pony-tail holder and mounted on a pony-tail, portions being broken away and shown in cross-section; and 7 FIG. is a drawing showing the use of a modified pony-tail holder like that of FIG. 4.

Referring now to thedrawings, the novel pony-tail clamp of FIGS. 1 and2 includes a body or member 16 of sheet-metal having approximately cylindrical curvature (FIG. I) of about 1% ofa circle in extent. Member 16 includes portions 16a that converge toward a lateral gap between end portions 18. Thelateral gap of about A of a circle is bounded by outward curled end portions 18 which have diverging surfaces 18a. Two pairs of teeth 20 are struck from the sheet-metal part that forms body 16. The teeth of each pair are spaced apart arcuately, they extend inward in relation to cylindrically curved body 16, and they are directedtoward the lateral opening.

The pony-tail ring shown in FIG. 3 includes a length of fabric-covered elastic cord 10 whose mutually abutting ends are secured together by a metal ferrule 12, for example.

In use as shown in FIG. 4, pony-tail ring 10 is ordinarily doubled and slipped over the wearers hair. It acts as a means for bunching the hair in the form of a pony-tail. Alternatively, it could take the form of a rubber-band, a tied ribbon, or other equivalent device. Accordingly, the term pony-tail ring is used to signify device 10 and equivalents. The gap between curled ends 18 of pony-tail clamp 14 is then applied to the pony-tail directly over the previously applied pony-tail ring 10. Pressing the clamp over the pony-tail forces diverging surfaces l8aagainst the pony-tail and causes the ends 18 to spread. After passing over the pony-tail, clamp 14 grips pony-tail ring 10. Due to converging portions 16a, the clamp 16 is retained on the pony-tail. The upper and lower pairs of teeth 20 straddle at least one convolution of the pony-tail ring 10 so that sliding of the clamp along the pony-tail is prevented. The teeth are longer than the thickness of the stretched pony-tail ring, so that the teeth penetrate into the hair. This feature prevents the clamp from shifting around the ponytail and thus prevents the gap between curled ends 18 from shifting into view. Teeth 20 thus assure stable positioning of clamp 14 so as to conceal ring 10 except for the region hidden by the pont-tail itself. More important, when the clamp bears decoration, the teeth hold the decoration in the desired position.

All edges of clamp 14 including the edges of body 16 and teeth 20 might be sharp initially, if formed by a cutting die. All such edges are deburred and dulled or rounded so that there is no chance of cutting the hair as the wearer puts the clamp on and takes it off.

Pony-tail ring 10 and clamp 14 cooperate on the pony-tail to achieve a distinctively attractive appearance. Pony-tail ring 10 squeezes the pony-tail and is secure in its position. Clamp 14 covers and conceals the otherwise exposed portions of pony-tail ring 10. Teeth 20 are about A inch long, for example, to penetrate into the hair and prevent arcuate shift of clamp 14 around the pony-tail. Teeth 20 above and below one or both of the turns of ring 10 are also effective-for pre venting the clamp from shifting along the pony-tail. The decorative clamp is thus held in its most attractive position.

FIG. 5 illustrates the use of the two-part pony-tail holder of FIGS. l-4, with a modification. The body 16 of clamp 14 may be designed as an attractive object in its own right, and it can be brightly electroplated, colored, or it may bear attractive decoration. In FIG. 5 it supports a decorative attachment 22 such as the figure of a flower, butterfly, etc. In that case, the role of teeth 20 becomes'especially important in holding the decorative attachment in the desired position. Ideally, the teeth extend generally toward the gap between curled ends 18, and decorative attachment 22 is secured to body 16 opposite the gap. In the form shown, ends 18 and teeth 20 are symmetrical about an imaginary vertical plane perpendicular to FIG. 1, and attachment 22 is disposed at the side of clamp 14 opposite the gap.

The foregoing pony-tail holder and especially the decorative clamp are subject to a wide latitude of variation in its details, within'the skill of the art. Therefore, the invention should be connstrued broadly in accordance with its full spirit and scope.

What is claimed is:

1. An ornamental pony-tail holder, including a ponttail ring and a decorative clamp for cooperative assembly to a wearers pony-tail, said pony-tail ring having at least one turn encircling the pony-tail when applied thereto, said decorative clamp embracing the pony-tail ring when assembled thereto on a pony-tail, said decorative clamp including a resilient member adapted to extend incompletely around a pony-tail and having end portions spaced apart so as to leave a gap for admitting a pony-tail laterally, the extent of said member being sufficiently more than half-way around a pony-tail for retention thereof on the pony-tail, and said member including portions converging toward said gap, said end portions extending from said converging portions and having diverging surfaces for promoting entry of a pony-tail into the clamp when the clamp is being pressed, gap foremost, against a pony-tail, and said clamp having means adapted to cooperate with the pony-tail and the pony-tail ring thereon for restraining the decorative clamp against shifting around the ponytail and against shifting along the pony-tail out of position embracing the pony-tail ring, said restraining means including at least one tooth projecting from said member toward said gap for penetrating into a ponytail close to a pony-tail ring thereon.

2. An ornamental pony-tail holder in accordance with claim 1, wherein said restraining means includes plural teeth including at least one tooth disposed at each side of at least one turn of the pony-tail ring and projecting toward said gap and into said pony-tail when the pony-tail ring and the clamp are in said cooperative assembly on a pony-tail.

3. An ornamental pony-tail holder in accordance with claim 2, wherein said teeth include pairs of arcuately spaced teeth above and below said one turn of the pony-tail ring.

4. An ornamental pony-tail holder in accordance with claim 1, wherein said end portions are curved about respective axes parallel to the dimension of said member which is adapted to extend along a pony-tail.

5. A pony-tail holder in accordance with claim 4, wherein said resilient member is contoured to extend about three-fourths of the way around a pony-tail.

6. An ornamental pony-tail holder in accordance with claim 1, wherein said end portions are curved about axes parallel to the dimension of said member that is to extend along the pony-tail, and wherein said restraining means includes a pair of arcuately spaced teeth for penetrating into a pony-tail above said at least one turn of the pony-tail ring and a pair of arcuately spaced teeth for penetrating into the pony-tail below said at least one turn of the pony-tail ring, said teeth being aimed toward said gap.

7. A pony-tail holder in accordance with claim 4, wherein said resilient member is shaped approximately as an incomplete cylinder, and wherein the end portions forming said gap are rounded about axes parallel to said cylinder.

8. An ornamental pony-tail holder in accordance with claim 1, further including a decorative attachment on said member at the side thereof opposite said gap.

9. A decorative pony-tail clamp, including a resilient member having portions contoured to extend sufficiently more than half-way around a pony-tail for retention when mounted thereon, and to grip the ponytail, said member having end portions spaced apart to form a lateral gap, and parts of said contoured portions converging toward said gap, said end portions extending from said converging parts and having surfaces diverging from said gap for promoting entry of a pony-tail into the clamp when the clamp is being pressed, gap foremost, against a pony-tail, and said member having position-retaining means including at least one tooth extending fixedly inward into the space defined by said contoured portions and toward said gap for penetrating into a pony-tail.

10. An ornamental pony-tail clamp in accordance with claim 9, further including a decorative attachment on said member at the side thereof opposite said gap.

11. An ornamental pony-tail clamp in accordance with claim 9, wherein said member is of sheet-metal and wherein said spaced-apart end portions of said resilient member are outwardly curled extensions thereof.

12. A decorative clamp in accordance with claim 9, wherein said resilient member is contoured to extend about three-fourths of the way around a pony-tail.

13. A decorative clamp in accordance with claim 9, wherein said resilient member is shaped approximately as an incomplete cylinder, and wherein the end portions forming said gap are rounded about axes parallel to said cylinder.

14. An ornamental pony-tail clamp in accordance with claim 9, wherein said resilient member is sheet metal and is free of sharp edges that might cut the hair of the wearer as the clamp is being put on and taken off.

15. The method of decorating a pony-tail with a pony-tail ring and a decorative clamp that includes a resilient decorative member adapted to extend incompletely around a pony-tail to ends defining a gap and to extend sufficiently more than half-way around a ponytail for retention of the clamp on the pony-tail and said member being proportioned to grip a pony-tail resiliently and having restraining means comprising at least one tooth fixed to said member and directed toward said gap, including the steps of tightly encircling the pony-tail with at least one turn of the pony-tail ring and applying the decorative clamp to the pony-tail over the pony-tail ring by pressing the clamp transversely against the pony-tail with said gap foremost and with said tooth directed to penetrate into the pony-tail close to but not into a turn of the pony-tail ring, the decorative clamp being thereby positioned on the pony-tail over the pony-tail ring with said tooth providing restraint against shifting of the clamp, both around and along the pony-tail.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the gap-defining ends of the resilient member have rounded surfaces that cause resilient spreading of said ends as said clamp is initially pressed against the ponytail.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein said resilient member has at least a pair of teeth spaced apart along a dimension of the clamp that extends along the pony-tail when mounted thereon, the teeth being directed toward said gap, the teeth being aimed to penetrate into the pony-tail above and below at least one turn of the pony-tail ring when the decorative clamp is applied as aforesaid.

3,842,849 6 18. The method according to claim wherein said teeth penetrating into the pony-tail above and below at restraining means includes at least a pair of teeth least one turn of the pony-tail ring when the decorative spaced apart along a dimension of the clamp that exclamp is being applied as aforesaid. tends along the pony-tail when mounted thereon, the 

1. An ornamental pony-tail holDer, including a pont-tail ring and a decorative clamp for cooperative assembly to a wearer''s pony-tail, said pony-tail ring having at least one turn encircling the pony-tail when applied thereto, said decorative clamp embracing the pony-tail ring when assembled thereto on a pony-tail, said decorative clamp including a resilient member adapted to extend incompletely around a pony-tail and having end portions spaced apart so as to leave a gap for admitting a ponytail laterally, the extent of said member being sufficiently more than half-way around a pony-tail for retention thereof on the pony-tail, and said member including portions converging toward said gap, said end portions extending from said converging portions and having diverging surfaces for promoting entry of a pony-tail into the clamp when the clamp is being pressed, gap foremost, against a pony-tail, and said clamp having means adapted to cooperate with the pony-tail and the pony-tail ring thereon for restraining the decorative clamp against shifting around the pony-tail and against shifting along the pony-tail out of position embracing the pony-tail ring, said restraining means including at least one tooth projecting from said member toward said gap for penetrating into a pony-tail close to a pony-tail ring thereon.
 2. An ornamental pony-tail holder in accordance with claim 1, wherein said restraining means includes plural teeth including at least one tooth disposed at each side of at least one turn of the pony-tail ring and projecting toward said gap and into said pony-tail when the pony-tail ring and the clamp are in said cooperative assembly on a pony-tail.
 3. An ornamental pony-tail holder in accordance with claim 2, wherein said teeth include pairs of arcuately spaced teeth above and below said one turn of the pony-tail ring.
 4. An ornamental pony-tail holder in accordance with claim 1, wherein said end portions are curved about respective axes parallel to the dimension of said member which is adapted to extend along a pony-tail.
 5. A pony-tail holder in accordance with claim 4, wherein said resilient member is contoured to extend about three-fourths of the way around a pony-tail.
 6. An ornamental pony-tail holder in accordance with claim 1, wherein said end portions are curved about axes parallel to the dimension of said member that is to extend along the pony-tail, and wherein said restraining means includes a pair of arcuately spaced teeth for penetrating into a pony-tail above said at least one turn of the pony-tail ring and a pair of arcuately spaced teeth for penetrating into the pony-tail below said at least one turn of the pony-tail ring, said teeth being aimed toward said gap.
 7. A pony-tail holder in accordance with claim 4, wherein said resilient member is shaped approximately as an incomplete cylinder, and wherein the end portions forming said gap are rounded about axes parallel to said cylinder.
 8. An ornamental pony-tail holder in accordance with claim 1, further including a decorative attachment on said member at the side thereof opposite said gap.
 9. A decorative pony-tail clamp, including a resilient member having portions contoured to extend sufficiently more than half-way around a pony-tail for retention when mounted thereon, and to grip the pony-tail, said member having end portions spaced apart to form a lateral gap, and parts of said contoured portions converging toward said gap, said end portions extending from said converging parts and having surfaces diverging from said gap for promoting entry of a pony-tail into the clamp when the clamp is being pressed, gap foremost, against a pony-tail, and said member having position-retaining means including at least one tooth extending fixedly inward into the space defined by said contoured portions and toward said gap for penetrating into a pony-tail.
 10. An ornamental pony-tail clamp in accordance with claim 9, further including a decorative attachment on said member at the side thereof opposite said gap.
 11. An ornamental pOny-tail clamp in accordance with claim 9, wherein said member is of sheet-metal and wherein said spaced-apart end portions of said resilient member are outwardly curled extensions thereof.
 12. A decorative clamp in accordance with claim 9, wherein said resilient member is contoured to extend about three-fourths of the way around a pony-tail.
 13. A decorative clamp in accordance with claim 9, wherein said resilient member is shaped approximately as an incomplete cylinder, and wherein the end portions forming said gap are rounded about axes parallel to said cylinder.
 14. An ornamental pony-tail clamp in accordance with claim 9, wherein said resilient member is sheet metal and is free of sharp edges that might cut the hair of the wearer as the clamp is being put on and taken off.
 15. The method of decorating a pony-tail with a pony-tail ring and a decorative clamp that includes a resilient decorative member adapted to extend incompletely around a pony-tail to ends defining a gap and to extend sufficiently more than half-way around a pony-tail for retention of the clamp on the pony-tail and said member being proportioned to grip a pony-tail resiliently and having restraining means comprising at least one tooth fixed to said member and directed toward said gap, including the steps of tightly encircling the pony-tail with at least one turn of the pony-tail ring and applying the decorative clamp to the pony-tail over the pony-tail ring by pressing the clamp transversely against the pony-tail with said gap foremost and with said tooth directed to penetrate into the pony-tail close to but not into a turn of the pony-tail ring, the decorative clamp being thereby positioned on the pony-tail over the pony-tail ring with said tooth providing restraint against shifting of the clamp, both around and along the pony-tail.
 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the gap-defining ends of the resilient member have rounded surfaces that cause resilient spreading of said ends as said clamp is initially pressed against the pony-tail.
 17. The method according to claim 15, wherein said resilient member has at least a pair of teeth spaced apart along a dimension of the clamp that extends along the pony-tail when mounted thereon, the teeth being directed toward said gap, the teeth being aimed to penetrate into the pony-tail above and below at least one turn of the pony-tail ring when the decorative clamp is applied as aforesaid.
 18. The method according to claim 15 wherein said restraining means includes at least a pair of teeth spaced apart along a dimension of the clamp that extends along the pony-tail when mounted thereon, the teeth penetrating into the pony-tail above and below at least one turn of the pony-tail ring when the decorative clamp is being applied as aforesaid. 